What with one thing and another, I have missed adding Tombstone Tuesday posts here for the last couple of weeks.

Today I will be showing three tombstones concerning the family of Edward Read (1747 – 1808) who is one of the sons of my 6 x great grandfather Cozens Read. These three tombstones stand immediately next to each other in the Read plot at Lower Winchendon, Buckinghamshire, UK with barely any space between them.

When we took these photographs in 2000 it was very difficult, almost impossible even, to read the inscriptions on them.

Here is a photograph showing the three together.

Original photograph taken by me at Lower Winchendon in 2000 - copyright 2011

As you will see they are very weathered but it is possible to make out the name Edward Read on two of them and on the other one it is just possible to see that it says Edward & Mary Read, which means one must be for at least one of the twelve children that Edward and Mary had.

Original photograph taken by me at Lower Winchendon in 2000 - copyright 2011

The above tombstone has the name Edward Read on it. There is space above his name so I think this may be for his wife Mary Read (nee Rose) who died in 1801 and although the family lived at Doddershall, Quainton I know that Mary was buried at Lower Winchendon. This grave might also contain Edward Read as well. He died in 1808 at Doddershall but again, like his wife Mary, he too is buried at Lower Winchendon.

Original photograph taken by me at Lower Winchendon in 2000 - copyright 2011

However, this middle tombstone also just has the name of Edward Read on it, so I am wondering if one of these two is for Edward and the other for his wife Mary? Although not too clear, it is possible to see that the designs that were originally on the tombstones are very similar, a sort of matching pair for a husband and wife?

Original photograph taken by me at Lower Winchendon in 2000 - copyright 2011

As it is possible to read Edward and Mary Read on this tombstone I think it must contain one or more of their children.

Edward and Mary Read had twelve children and through a process of elimination I think this could be for their youngest child, Thomas, who died when he was fourteen years old at Doddershall, Quainton but who is buried at Lower Winchendon. Ten of Edward and Mary’s children married and lived in either Quainton or Haddenham or Upper Winchendon. I think the other child, William, who died aged about two years old in 1786 is probably included on one of the two tombstones that have just Edward Read’s name on that is possible to read.

I’m hoping that at some stage over the years, someone, somewhere maybe took a transcript of the inscriptions on these three tombstones and then one day I might just find out which is the correct grave for each of this little family group!

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YOUR ANCESTORS

If you could see your ancestors
All standing in a row
Would you be proud of them
Or don't you really know?
Some strange discoveries are made
In climbing family trees
And some of them, you know
Do not particularly please!

If you could see your ancestors
All standing in a row
There might be some of them, perhaps
You wouldn't care to know
But here's another question, which
Requires a different view ...
If you could meet your ancestors
Would they be proud of you?(Author unknown)